NDP seek overhaul of WSIB system

Despite recent announcements from the Ford government, advocates still want an overhaul of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.

The government is proposing to increase coverage amounts to 90% of an injured worker’s normal take-home pay and extend payments to workers over the age of 65.

Advocates say it is a good start, but more improvements are needed.

Kendall McKinney of the Ontario Network of Injured Workers says the system creates injured workers as a problem, not as people.

This is a system that is designed to reduce human beings down to ciphers that can be managed and mostly cost contained, and cost shifted back onto the injured workers, back onto the public at large and away from the employers who actually control the workplace that made these people sick and injured in the first place,” says McKinney.

“It’s a total abdication of responsibility.”

The NDP suggests a complete overhaul of the WSIB program.

NDP Labour Critic Jamie West says too many injured workers continue to be denied coverage.

“When a worker is injured, they’re supposed to be compensated fairly,” says West.

“We don’t see that. Instead, what we see is that 70% are denied. And if you don’t have access to a lawyer, if you don’t have access to a union with full-time compensation officers who are going to fight that, you are probably never going to have access to WSIB.”

The NDP brought forward a Private Member’s Bill but was defeated in second reading this past week.